Undergraduate Student
Email: kjernig@g.clemson.edu
Biosketch
I am planning on completing my undergraduate program at Clemson University in May 2022 with B.S. degrees in Biochemistry and Genetics with a minor in Spanish. While growing up in the Carolinas, I always knew I wanted a career in medicine. Recently, my growing curiosity for understanding the molecular basis of disease has led me to research in a genetics/molecular biology lab. During my undergraduate studies, I worked in clinical research focused on the prevention of in-hospital injuries through a collaboration between Prisma Health and Clemson University. I am currently a medical scribe at an Ear, Nose, and Throat practice which has allowed me to gain further understanding on the presentation of disease. I plan on attending a graduate school program that would allow me to combine my love for medicine and my passion for learning and science.
Research
Recently, I have joined Dr. Andrei Alexandrov’s lab in the Clemson’s Center for Human Genetics that studies disease-associated human RNA pathways. I am interested in identifying components of human RNA pathways using CRISPR-based forward genetic screens and FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting). I am excited to study components of nuclear long non-coding RNA pathways, such as MALAT1, which are heavily implicated in cancer progression and metastasis in order to identify potential therapeutic targets.